List of best-selling singles in the United Kingdom

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"Candle in the Wind 1997" / "Something About the Way You Look Tonight" by Elton John is the best-selling single in the UK. Elton John in Norway.jpg
"Candle in the Wind 1997" / "Something About the Way You Look Tonight" by Elton John is the best-selling single in the UK.

For the purposes of calculating sales, a single is currently defined by the Official Charts Company (OCC) as either a 'single bundle' having no more than four tracks and not lasting longer than 25 minutes or one digital audio track not longer than 15 minutes with a minimum sale price of 40 pence. [1] The rules have changed many times as technology has developed, the most notable being the inclusion of digital downloads in 2004 and streaming in 2014.

Contents

The best-selling single in the UK is "Something About the Way You Look Tonight"/"Candle in the Wind 1997", a double A-side released by Elton John following the death of Diana, Princess of Wales. Since September 1997, the single has sold over 5.4 million copies in the UK. [2]

Sales of singles have been monitored and charted in the UK since 1952, when Percy Dickins of New Musical Express (NME) telephoned around 20 record stores and aggregated their best-selling singles into a hit parade. Dickins published this Top 12 chart in NME on 14 November 1952. [3] [4]

The highest-selling single by a solo female artist is "All I Want For Christmas Is You" by Mariah Carey – released in October 1994, it has combined sales of over 4 million in the UK. [5]

The best-selling single not to top the UK Singles Chart is "Mr Brightside" by The Killers, which reached number 10 in 2004. [6] When streaming is taken into account, "All of Me" by John Legend, which has over 2.1 million combined sales, is the highest-selling single not to have topped the charts. [5]

The highest-selling single (paid-for purchases) in the 21st century is "Happy" by Pharrell Williams, which has sold 1.93 million; [7] it overtook "Anything Is Possible" / "Evergreen" by Will Young in 2015. [8]

The most streamed song is "Shape of You" by Ed Sheeran with over 200 million streams (2 million equivalent sales) from 2017. Twenty other songs have been streamed over 100 million times, including two more by Ed Sheeran. [5]

Best-selling singles based on paid-for purchases

Until June 2014, only a paid download or a purchase of a physical single counted as a sale. Based on this definition, these are the 50 best-selling singles in the UK. Positions are current as of 8 November 2023. [9]

No.SingleArtistRecord label [a] Released [a] Chart
peak [a] 		Traditional sales [b]
1"Something About the Way You Look Tonight" / "Candle in the Wind 1997" Elton John Rocket September 199714,940,001 [9]
2"Do They Know It's Christmas?" Band Aid Mercury November 198413,830,000 [9]
3"Bohemian Rhapsody"
/ "These Are the Days of Our Lives"		 Queen EMI October 1975
November 1991		12,630,000 [9]
4"Mull of Kintyre" / "Girls' School" Wings Capitol November 197712,100,000 [9]
5"You're the One That I Want" John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John RSO May 197812,080,000 [9]
6"Relax" Frankie Goes to Hollywood ZTT January 198412,066,230
7"Rivers of Babylon" / "Brown Girl in the Ring" Boney M. Atlantic/Hansa April 197812,032,656
8"Last Christmas" / "Everything She Wants" Wham! Epic December 198411,931,000 [9]
9"Happy" Pharrell Williams Columbia November 201311,930,000 [7]
10"She Loves You" The Beatles Parlophone August 196311,930,000 [9]
11"Love Is All Around" Wet Wet Wet PolyGram May 199411,898,790
12"Mary's Boy Child – Oh My Lord"Boney M. Atlantic/Hansa November 197811,885,274
13"I Just Called to Say I Love You" Stevie Wonder Motown August 198411,874,225
14" (Everything I Do) I Do It for You " Bryan Adams A&M June 19911
15"Unchained Melody" / "White Cliffs of Dover" Robson & Jerome RCA May 199511,867,755
16"Barbie Girl" Aqua Universal October 199711,844,310
17"Believe" Cher WEA October 199811,826,573
18"I Want to Hold Your Hand"The Beatles Parlophone November 196311,810,829
19"Anything Is Possible" / "Evergreen" Will Young S February 200211,795,213
20"Imagine" John Lennon Apple October 197511,714,351
21"Eye of the Tiger" Survivor Scotti Brothers July 198211,650,293
22"Uptown Funk" Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars RCA December 201411,647,310
23"I'll Be Missing You" Puff Daddy and Faith Evans featuring 112 Bad Boy June 19971
24"Blurred Lines" Robin Thicke featuring T.I. and Pharrell Williams Interscope May 201311,667,165
25"Someone like You" Adele XL January 201111,644,597
26"Three Lions"
"3 Lions '98"		 Baddiel, Skinner and the Lightning Seeds Epic June 19961
27"I Will Always Love You" Whitney Houston Arista October 199211,642,360
28"Don't You Want Me" The Human League Virgin November 19811
29"Summer Nights"John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John RSO September 197811,640,672
30"Two Tribes"Frankie Goes to Hollywood ZTT May 198411,629,287
31"Gangsta's Paradise" Coolio featuring L.V. Tommy Boy October 199511,585,504
32"My Heart Will Go On" Celine Dion Epic February 199811,583,276
33" ...Baby One More Time" Britney Spears Jive February 199911,570,000
34"Wonderwall" Oasis Creation October 19952
35"Moves like Jagger" Maroon 5 featuring Christina Aguilera A&M/Octone August 20112
36"Careless Whisper" George Michael Epic July 19841
37"Can't Buy Me Love"The Beatles Parlophone March 19641
38"Perfect Day"Various artists Chrysalis November 199711,550,017
39"Karma Chameleon" Culture Club Virgin September 198311,528,498
40"Somebody That I Used to Know" Gotye featuring Kimbra Island January 20121
41"Y.M.C.A." Village People Mercury November 19781
42"Wake Me Up" Avicii Positiva/PRMDJune 20131
43"Tears" Ken Dodd Columbia August 196511,523,690
44"I Gotta Feeling" The Black Eyed Peas Interscope September 200911,477,778
45"Get Lucky" Daft Punk featuring Pharrell Williams Columbia April 201311,471,356
46"Killing Me Softly" Fugees Columbia June 199611,457,641
47"The Power of Love" Jennifer Rush CBS May 198511,456,087
48"Come On Eileen" Dexys Midnight Runners Mercury Records June 19821
49"It Wasn't Me" Shaggy featuring RikRok MCA February 20011
50"Rock Around the Clock" Bill Haley & His Comets Brunswick December 195411,439,196

Best-selling songs based on combined sales

From 2014 streaming has counted towards sales (sometimes called "combined sales" or "chart sales") at the rate of 100 streams equal to one download or physical purchase, although the singles chart no longer uses this ratio. In September 2017, the OCC changed their definition of a 'million seller' to include streaming. [5] These are the 50 biggest selling songs based on combined physical, download and streaming sales, as at September 2017.

No.SingleArtistRecord label [a] Chart
peak [a] 		Released [a] SalesStreaming equivalentCombined sales
1"Something About the Way You Look Tonight" / "Candle in the Wind 1997" Elton John Rocket 119974,935,93615,4724,950,898
2"Do They Know It's Christmas?" Band Aid Mercury 119843,802,066140,9933,943,060
3"Last Christmas" / "Everything She Wants" Wham! 119841,931,0001,700,1263,631,126
4"Shape of You" Ed Sheeran Asylum/Atlantic 12017754,754+2,241,6673,006,404 [10]
5"Bohemian Rhapsody" Queen 119752,540,604254,4302,795,034
6"Uptown Funk" Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars 120141,647,3101,076,1602,723,470
7"Happy" Pharrell Williams 120131,921,805707,8512,629,657
8"Thinking Out Loud" Ed Sheeran 120141,219,1841,302,1192,521,302
9"One Dance" Drake featuring Wizkid & Kyla 12016553,9731,791,0072,344,981
10"Rather Be" Clean Bandit featuring Jess Glynne 120141,283,122935,5752,218,697
11"Sorry" Justin Bieber 12015724,1881,443,7192,167,907
12"All of Me" John Legend 220141,259,708896,4182,156,126
13"You're the One that I Want" John Travolta & Olivia Newton-John 119782,072,03582,8972,154,932
14"Relax" Frankie Goes to Hollywood 119832,066,23082,0922,148,322
15"Mull of Kintyre" / "Girls' School" Wings 119772,086,1831,0662,087,249
16"Love Yourself" Justin Bieber 12015718,5491,340,6662,059,215
17"Rivers of Babylon"/"Brown Girl in the Ring" Boney M. 119782,032,6566,1642,038,820
18"Someone Like You" Adele 120111,644,597351,7721,996,369
19"Wonderwall" Oasis 219951,502,270493,6711,995,940
20"Mary's Boy Child – Oh My Lord" Boney M. 119781,885,27491,7251,976,999
21"Wake Me Up!" Avicii 120131,483,346484,0351,967,381
22"She Loves You" The Beatles 119631,922,27531,0991,953,374
23"Take Me to Church" Hozier 22013934,4661,017,8511,952,317
24"Blurred Lines" Robin Thicke featuring T.I. and Pharrell Williams120131,667,615284,0041,951,619
25"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" Bryan Adams 119911,848,15490,3821,938,536
26"Love Is All Around" Wet Wet Wet 119941,898,79038,9511,937,741
27"Believe" Cher 119981,826,573101,0201,927,593
28"Cheerleader (Felix Jaehn Remix)" Omi 12014861,0861,057,4391,918,526
29"I Just Called to Say I Love You" Stevie Wonder 119841,874,22538,3031,912,528
30"Despacito (Remix)" Luis Fonsi featuring Daddy Yankee and Justin Bieber12017566,4251,334,1741,900,599
31"Barbie Girl" Aqua 119971,844,31052,9361,897,247
32"Eye of the Tiger" Survivor 119821,650,293223,0451,873,338
33"Unchained Melody" /
"White Cliffs of Dover"		 Robson Green & Jerome Flynn 119951,867,7554,2141,871,969
34"I Want to Hold Your Hand"The Beatles119631,810,82947,8991,858,728
35"Hello"Adele12015948,618906,4311,855,050
36"What Do You Mean?"Justin Bieber12015533,5811,320,2561,853,837
37"Let Her Go" Passenger 220121,243,336589,0191,832,354
38"Get Lucky" Daft Punk featuring Pharrell Williams120131,471,356349,9891,821,344
39"Anything Is Possible" / "Evergreen" Will Young 120021,795,2131,8741,797,087
40"Imagine" John Lennon 119751,714,35176,1411,790,492
41"Gangsta's Paradise" Coolio featuring L.V. 119951,585,504202,5421,788,045
42"I Will Always Love You" Whitney Houston 119921,642,360140,9621,783,322
43"Don't You Want Me" The Human League 119811,637,503144,2731,781,776
44"I'll Be Missing You" Puff Daddy & Faith Evans 119971,663,303106,3311,769,634
45"Cheap Thrills" Sia 22015517,0821,247,6401,764,721
46"Moves like Jagger" Maroon 5 featuring Christina Aguilera 220111,536,041207,8131,743,854
47"Somebody That I Used to Know" Gotye featuring Kimbra 120111,515,527212,1921,727,719
48"Mr. Brightside" The Killers 102004967,180750,9911,718,170
49"Pompeii" Bastille 22013959,693749,0111,708,704
50"7 Years" Lukas Graham 12015653,6571,054,2111,707,868

See also

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 The record labels, dates and chart peaks are those given by the OCC.
  2. ↑ The sales are those given by the OCC as of 19 September 2017, [5] unless stated.

    Related Research Articles

    The UK singles chart was first compiled in 1969. However, the records and statistics listed here date back to 1952 because the Official Charts Company counts a selected period of the New Musical Express chart and the Record Retailer chart from 1960 to 1969 as predecessors for the period prior to 11 February 1969, where multiples of competing charts coexisted side by side. For example, the BBC compiled its own chart based on an average of the music papers of the time; many songs announced as having reached number one on BBC Radio and Top of the Pops prior to 1969 may not be listed here as chart-toppers since they do not meet the legacy criteria of the Charts Company.

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    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Mr. Brightside</span> 2003 single by the Killers

    "Mr. Brightside" is the debut single of American rock band The Killers. It is taken from their debut studio album, Hot Fuss (2004). Written by band members Brandon Flowers and Dave Keuning, it was one of the first songs the Killers ever wrote. Two music videos were made for the song: the first one was shot in black and white and features the band performing in an empty room and the second one was based on the 2001 film Moulin Rouge!.

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    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Castle on the Hill</span> 2017 single by Ed Sheeran

    "Castle on the Hill" is a song by English singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran. It was released on 6 January 2017 as one of the double lead singles from his third studio album ÷ (2017), along with "Shape of You". "Castle on the Hill" was written and produced by Ed Sheeran and Benny Blanco. The song refers to Framlingham Castle in Sheeran's home town of Framlingham in Suffolk, and reminisces tales of his upbringing in the town. The BBC states, "the song has been described as a love letter to Suffolk."

    References

    1. ↑ "Rules for Chart Eligibility: Singles" (PDF). London: Official Charts Company. April 2013. p. 4. Retrieved 1 June 2015.
    2. ↑ British Phonographic Industry, BPI (4 May 2023). ""British single certifications – Mariah Carey – All I Want for Christmas Is You"". Award Tracker. Official Charts Company. p. 1. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
    3. ↑ Williams, Mark (19 February 2002). "Obituary: Percy Dickins". The Guardian . Archived from the original on 22 July 2010. Retrieved 6 August 2013.
    4. ↑ Smith, Alan. "50s & 60s UK Charts – The Truth!". davemcaleer.com. Archived from the original on 3 September 2011. Retrieved 6 August 2013.
    5. 1 2 3 4 5 Copsey, Rob (19 September 2017). "The UK's Official Chart 'millionaires' revealed". Official Charts Company . Retrieved 20 September 2017.
    6. ↑ "Mr Brightside: The Killers' hit becomes the biggest song never to top charts". 9 May 2024. Retrieved 29 June 2024.
    7. 1 2 Myers, Justin (14 February 2020). "The UK's biggest selling singles of all time". Official Charts Company . Retrieved 28 June 2021.
    8. ↑ Copsey, Rob (11 June 2015). "The Official Top 40 Biggest Selling Singles of the Millennium so far revealed". Official Charts Company . Retrieved 11 June 2015.
    9. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "The best-selling singles of all time on the Official UK Chart". Official Charts Company. 8 November 2023. Retrieved 9 November 2023.
    10. ↑ Jones, Alan (14 October 2017). "Official Charts Analysis: Post Malone secures second week atop singles chart" . Music Week . Retrieved 14 October 2017.
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